Climate Change and the Future, with Al Gore

Credit: Laura Berland.

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About This Episode

Few subjects are as politicized as climate change. But, as host Neil Tyson says, it’s dangerous when people “see the politics more than the facts.” Together with former Vice President Al Gore, Neil looks past the politics to examine climate change, clean energy and the future of Earth. He’s got help in studio from the New York Times Dot Earth blogger Andrew Revkin and co-host Maeve Higgins. You’ll hear how a college course Al Gore took with Dr. Roger Revelle, one of the first scientists to study global warming, led to his involvement in climate science. Find out how Gore’s 1998 proposal to create an Earth-monitoring satellite stationed at Lagrange Point 1 resulted in DSCOVR, which allows us to calculate Earth’s energy balance for the first time. Learn which change in behavior will have the most impact on atmospheric CO2 and how solar, wind and hydroelectric power is already cheaper than fossil fuels in many places. Explore the obstacles to adoption of alternate fuels, and why small villages in under-developed countries may have an easier time switching to solar than countries like Germany and the U.S. Neil and Vice President Gore address the potential for nearly limitless solar power and how it can help the world’s growing water shortage. Plus, the two discuss the ethics of emerging technologies, and the former Vice President tells Neil why he’s excited about Spider Goats.